Discovered
by MischiefHasBeenManaged
Summary: Hermione and Severus had been in a very steamy relationship since she was at Hogwarts, but what will happen when they get discovered? Rated M for a reason!
1. Chapter 1

Discovered

Hermione Granger sat in a cupboard, huddled tightly in a ball, nearly shaking our of nerves. Her arms wrapped around her knees. Her hand clamped firmly over her mouth. She was trying to stop any sound that would give away her position. She was hiding herself from him. As she sat, heart pounding in her chest, she remembered back to the night when their relationship started, she had never thought thinks would end up like this...

_Flashback two and a half years._

Eighteen year old Hermione Granger took a deep breath as she stood in front of the door to the Potions classroom. She raised her shaking hand and knocked three times on the heavy door.

"Enter." Came the reply from within. The same deep, silky voice that had been haunting her daydreams when she received this detention.

Cautiously, she pushed the door open and slipped quietly inside, closing the door behind her. When she looked up, she saw her professor standing in front of his desk, looking at her with narrowed eyes, This gaze was not unusual, but what was, was that it made her blush. She began walking up to him, but his booming voice made her stop.

"Did I tell you to move, Miss Granger?" Professor Snape asked.

"No, sir." She answered, forcing her eyes to stay level with his. She refused to show any sign of weakness.

Hermione watched as he began to stride slowly towards her, never once breaking eye contact. She felt her heart pick up speed, and as much as she tried to calm herself, it was hopeless. Unknowingly, she started walking backwards, each of his forward steps was met in time with one of hers backwards. It wasn't until she felt a wall against her back that she realised what had happened. She glanced down at her shaking hands and gripped her Gryffindor robe with them. The sound of the Potions Master's steps made her look up at him once more, noticing a small smirk playing on his lips. She gulped.

Snape observed her vulnerable position: back against the stone wall of his classroom, only a few meters away from him, with nowhere to run. He ran his eyes over her robe covered body. Even through it, he could see the soft curve of her breasts, well-developed over the years. His eyes came to rest of her terrified face, framed beautifully with golden-brown hair. It was slightly less bushy than when she was younger, but still thick and curly. He took another step towards her and noticed her eyes close a fraction.

"Do you know why you're here, Miss Granger?" He asked her, still smirking slightly.

"Yes, sir." Was her answer.

"Care to enlighten me?" He drawled.

"I was not paying attention in class, Professor."

"And why was that?" He knew the reason, but wanted her to say it herself.

"I was daydreaming, sir." She said, pleading to someone, anyone, for him not to interrogate her any further.

"What, might I ask, Miss Granger, were you so _fixated_ with, that you were unable to let the thoughts go for a moment to actually listen to what you were being taught?" On his use of the word '_fixated'_ Hermione blushed a luscious shade of pink.

She averted her eyed from his before speaking. "N-nothing, P-professor."

"If it were nothing, then you would not be here presently, Miss Granger, and neither would I. But as you seem unable to voice your daydreams, there is the option of me using Legilimency on you."

Hermione's eyes widened in horror. "It was you." She blurted out before she could even think.

"What was me, Miss Granger?" The professor asked.

"It was you that I was daydreaming about." She confessed, looking at the ground.

"What exactly were you daydreaming about, that involved me?" He asked. "I know you enjoy learning, but is it necessary to be dreaming about Potions class, when in Potions class?"

What he loved the most about seeing her blush and look away, refusing to answer, was that he had already used Legilimency on her. He knew exactly what the young witch had been dreaming of. And as much as it had turned him on that she had been thinking of him in such a way, he was curious as to why.

"I wasn't daydreaming about class, the room maybe, was there, as were you, but no one else." Hermione choked out.

"Much like our present situation, don't you think?" He smirked at her as her eyes widened at the realisation.

Even the thought of what had happened in her mind earlier having any similarity with reality made her underwear damp. It was all she could do to nod in response to his question.

"Would you like to explain to me what happened in your daydream, when you were in this very classroom. Alone. With me." He spoke sultrily, choosing his words very carefully.

"I-I can't, sir." She shook her head.

"If that is the case, then it is lucky for you I already know what happened, exactly what happened."

She head snapped up toward him, her eyes wider than he'd ever seen them. His smirk widened and he took another step towards her.

"How...?"

"Legilimency."

Her whole face flushed bright red, as a tear dripped its way down her searing cheek. She was mortified. What did he think of her? What would he do? What if he told someone, what would everyone think of dear little Hermione having daydreams about her professor, like _that_. More tears made their way down her face, against her will. She just wanted it to be over. She wanted to get out, away from him, forever. She couldn't ever face him again, knowing that he knew about her dreams, her _fantasies_.

The professor noticed her tears immediately, and felt a pang of regret in his heart. He couldn't figure out why, but he felt guilty for making her cry. This hadn't been his objective, yes, he had wanted to embarrass her, but he had not wanted to make her cry. He felt... sad.

"Why are you crying?" He asked, in what he hoped to be a kinder voice then his usual, as he lifted her chin.

"It's so embarrassing." She sobbed out. "I can't imagine what you think of me."

"I think that I like this side of you."

"What? The one where you make me cry?" She wiped her eyes angrily.

"No, the one where I make you scream my name when you reach breaking point." He told her honestly.

Her eyes, that had been avoiding his, lifted to meet them. By this point her tears had subsided and she could clearly see the honesty his held. Her anger and embarrassment disappeared, only to be replaced with shyness and nerves. She bit her lip uneasily as he took one final step toward her. He was now mere centimeters away from touching her, but she wanted that extra space to disappear.

His heart was beating a little faster than was usual, and he felt torn over what to do next. One part of him wanted to whip out his wand, remove all their clothes and take her against the wall right then and there. Another wanted to laugh at her and show everyone at Hogwarts of her dream. And a third wanted to kiss her, to cradle her in his arms and tell her he lo- He stopped himself before he could think anything irrational.

His eyes found hers, tender and warm. As he searched them, he saw something he'd never seen before, at least not when looking at him. It was then when he knew which option to choose.

Hermione thought she was dreaming again when he started leaning towards her. But the moment his lips touched hers, she knew it was real. It felt so much better than she had imagined it. Her arms wrapped around his neck out of instinct, and pulled him against her body.

The feeling of her soft curves against him made him growl deeply. She heard it and felt her underwear become even damper. She parted her lips for him, allowing his tongue to slide into her mouth. She whimpered softly as his tongue traveled through her mouth, memorizing every detail, in fear that this may be the only time he would get such a chance. He braced himself against the wall, one hand either side of her head, as he pressed her gently, but firmly against it. Even through their robes he could feel the heat radiating from her, and she could feel his hardness against her abdomen. Both wanted more, but both feared the reaction of the other. Slowly, Hermione pulled away from his lips, and stared into his nearly black eyes.

"Hermione..." He whispered breathlessly.

The sound of her name on his lips made her throw her head against the wall behind her and bite back a moan.

"Severus..." She replied, having a similar effect on him.

He groaned in pleasure as her soft voice said his name, and his erection became even harder. He gulped.

"I think you should go now, before we do something we will both regret." He told her, but he knew that anything he did with her would be the opposite of regrettable.

"The only regret I could possibly have, would be leaving now." She whispered.

"No, you don't mean that." He said softly. "Hermione-"

He was about to tell her to go, but her soft moan made him stop mid-sentence. She loved him saying her name. He loved her moaning. They both leaned in and met halfway in a passionate, fiery kiss. He knew then that he couldn't let her go.

Her hands were the first to move, tearing his robes off with a strength she didn't know she had. He pulled hers off soon after, along with her school vest and plain, white blouse. All the while they were exploring each other's mouths feverishly with their tongues. When his black shirt was also shed, he pulled away, allowing them to take in the others shirtless form.

He noticed that her breasts were even more developed than he originally thought, Merlin that school robe hid a lot. Her flat, lightly tanned stomach looked so smooth he wanted to caress it so badly. And the curve of her small waist was inviting his hands to grasp it. One thing that he did not like, was the material so irritatingly covering her breasts.

She felt like her heart was being pulled out of her chest when her eyes fell on the scars covering his pale, muscular chest. She wanted to take the pain away, but didn't know how. Then she saw the faded dark mark on his left forearm, and it made her even wetter. She knew it shouldn't be, but it was a huge turn on.

"Come." Her professor ordered. "We will go to my chambers."

"No, please, I want it here, like in my fantasies, please..." She begged him.

He could not deny her, he knew it.

"Where, Hermione?" He asked, as he moved in to remove her bra. "Where did I fuck you in your daydreams?"

"You know, you saw it."

"Ah, but I want to hear you say it, my dear."

"Your desk. I want you to fuck me on you desk, Severus." She moaned at her own words, as did he.

"Very well." He pulled her against his body and kissed her again, fiercely, trying to fulfill some of the need growing inside of him.

With one hand, he lifted her up and she wrapped her arms around his waist. He felt like she weighed nothing as he carried her over to his desk, shedding her skirt and shoes as they went. He set her down on his desk, on top of all the unmarked essays that were handed in that day. Looking at her, lying on his desk, hair messed in all directions, breasts uncovered, rising and falling with her pants, underwear _very_ wet, and her entire body flushed. Merlin did she ever look good. The sight of her like that made him harder than he'd ever been before, and he shed his shoes, socks and his black pants because his erection was pushing painfully against the fabric.

He cast a the strongest silencing charm he knew on the room, along with several locking ones, in case of any unwanted guests.

Then he got on top of her, kissing her deeply, his tongue moving sensually in her warm mouth. His hands worshipped her body, memorizing every dip and curve. His lips left hers, traveling down, kissing, nipping and sucking her jaw, her neck, her collarbone. Further down he went, until his hot mouth found her painfully hard nipples. He took one in his mouth, suckling at it like a baby, while he massaged the other with his hand. Her moans, whimpers and ragged breaths were the only noises in an otherwise silent room. He switched breasts, sucking and biting down gently on the other hard peak.

"Oh, Merlin!" She cried out, wonderful sensations flooding through her body. "Severus..."

At the sound of him name, he growled against her skin, before moving back to her lips. As he kissed her roughly, his hands slid under the waistband of Hermione's underwear, pulling them down her smooth legs and tossing them away. He pulled away and when his eyes fell on her neatly trimmed pussy he stifled a groan.

She lay, panting on his desk, watching him stare at her with lusty eyes. She was even more turned on by his gaze. Slowly, he dropped to his knees before her and inhaled her scent. He shuddered at the sweet smell and pulled her by the legs to the edge of his desk, so he could have better access. He brought his face to her lower lips and nuzzled his nose against her clit.

She yelped in surprise, but covered it up with a stealthy moan as his tongue darted out of his mouth and into the folds of her pussy. His long, skilled tongue thrust in and out of her heat slowly, savoring her wonderful flavor.

"Oh dear Gods." She gasped out as he bit down on her clit.

Severus pulled his head away a little an inserted a finger into her. She moaned and bucked her hips in response. Soon, there were three fingers inside her, curling and uncurling within her, driving her quickly to orgasm. As his fingers were working their magic, he began to kiss along the inside of her thigh, from her knee to the juncture of her hip and leg. His teeth found her clit once again and she toppled over the edge.

He removed his fingers, replacing them quickly with his mouth as he lapped up her juices. As she came slowly down from her high and saw him licking his lips and fingers hungrily, not wanting to waste anything. When she was fully back on earth, Hermione stood up from her professor's desk, completely naked in front of him, apart from her knee-high grey school socks.

"What are y-" He was cut off by her lips on his.

She kissed him with so much passion and fire that he couldn't find it within himself to push her off to finish his question. She turned him around skillfully, without him realising, and pushed him down onto the desk. After releasing his lips, she knelt down in front of him.

"I thought I should return the favor." She whispered huskily, before ripping his black, silk boxers off him.

She let out a small, feline growl when she saw his cock. She was no virgin, and by the way she was acting, Severus knew that. Although only a couple of men were lucky enough to have experienced her as a lover, she was very skilled and knew exactly how to pleasure a man. He was bigger than any man she had been with, and she felt a trickle of wetness down her leg as she imagined, for the third or fourth time that day, what he would feel like inside her.

She knew that would happen, but now, was all about him. Her Potions professor. A man many years her senior, but she didn't care. As she took his length in her hot, wet mouth, the groan that emitted from his lips told her he couldn't care less either. Her tongue rolled over his tip to tease him as a growl erupted from the back of his throat. She started sucking hard on his cock, dragging her teeth lightly over his length as she pulled back.

He groaned loudly as his eyes came to rest on her head, complete with wildly erotic curly hair, bobbing in front of his hips. Watching his cock appear, disappear and reappear again with each movement. Her sucking became more frenzied and the feeling of his impending release welled up in him quickly. As her hot tongue lathered her sweet saliva over his tip, he lost himself to the overwhelming pleasure that she caused him.

"Fuck, Hermione." He gasped, as her wonderfully wet mouth swallowed down his cum.

She rose to her feet and stood above him, licking her lips seductively.

"You liked that, didn't you?" She whispered sultrily.

"Fuck yes." He growled, pulling her on top of him, and kissing her roughly as she straddled his hips.

She pushed firmly against his chest and he fell backwards onto the now crumpled papers on his desk. Smirking as an utterly evil idea popped into her head, she leant down and kissed the tip of his nose, then his cheek, then pecked his lips, before moving lower. Her soft, supple lips planted light kisses down his jaw and onto his neck, licking gently over the column of his throat.

He knew what she was doing, and he felt a large amount of pride at her very Slytherin-like idea, though he did not like it being aimed at him. He stared at her with lust filled eyes as she placed delicate kisses down his smooth chest, and on each one of his muscles. Then, she stopped, another idea in mind.

She sat up, so that, with a slight realignment, he would be inside her. However, she had a different idea. She wasn't sure what would happen, but she wanted to try never the less. Reaching down with her hand, she grasped his left wrist and pulled it towards her mouth. After staring at the Dark Mark for a few moments, she brought her tongue to it and licked over it in one, long stroke, earning a deep growl from her victim. Satisfied with his reaction, she began sucking and gently nipping at the black ink imbedded in his pale skin.

He groaned with intense ecstasy. He had no idea what that would do to him, no one had ever tried before. He loved every second of torture her talented mouth provided him with, but it wasn't enough. As she sucked, she began to rock her hips slightly over his ever-growing erection, torturing him even more.

"Please... Hermione..." He pleaded with her.

She had never heard him beg anyone for anything before, and she liked it. Pulling back a little, so her lips were barely grazing his Mark, she stopped the movements of her hips.

"Yes?" She inquired, her lips brushing his skin, but her eyes on his.

Severus glared at her. He knew she was trying to get him to beg, but saying please was as far as he'd go. He downright refused to beg Hermione Granger for sex. His pride simply couldn't take it.

She smirked down at him when he didn't answer. Simply shrugging it off, she continued with her slow, agonizing torture. Her hips began moving in a rhythmic spiral pattern, as her tongue found his forearm again. Several minutes, a lot of glares directed at Hermione, and a very tightly shut mouth on Severus' part, she gave up. It wasn't on her nature, as a Gryffindor, or as a human – or witch, as it were – to give up that easily, but she had accepted it would never happen. She stopped sucking, stopped spiraling, and just looked at him.

"Fuck, Hermione!" He growled, catching her off guard. "Fuck me now!"

As unexpected as it was, it counted as begging to her, and she had impaled herself on his cock before he could take a breath.

"Oh good Gods!" She moaned.

"Fuck, you feel so good!" He hissed, grabbing her hips tightly.

For a moment, they just stayed there, frozen, adjusting to each other. Hermione's eyes were shut loosely, her head lolling back in pleasure.

"Merlin, you didn't feel this good in my mind." She gasped, opening her eyes to look at him.

He just smirked up at her, gripping her hips even tighter and lifting her up slightly, before pulling her back down slowly. They both groaned in response, their eyes closing in ecstasy. Her hips began their painfully slow rotations, grinding down on him, making him groan. She began to increase the speed of her spiraling pattern, giving them both even more pleasure, her luscious breasts jiggling beautifully as he stared at her in awe.

"You're so beautiful." He whispered, not realising he's said it out loud.

She smiled and continued grinding on him for a while, still teasing slightly, but enough to satisfy their need. As he growled, she noticed his eyes pale a little, becoming a lighter shade of nut-brown. She frowned a little, but forgot all about it when Severus reached up and cupped one of her breasts in each hand, massaging them roughly as she rocked back and forth on him.

She moaned loudly, her mind going completely blank. The muscles in her pussy squeezed on him, causing a groan to emit from his mouth. She was so near orgasm that she couldn't even think, she wasn't thinking about what she was doing, she did what came naturally. It only took a slight pinch of fingers around her nipples that pushed – _threw_ – her over the edge and into paradise with a cry of pleasure.

She clenched around Severus so tightly that he was forced to orgasm too, shooting his pleasure into Hermione's tight, wet pussy. As they came down from their peaks, she collapsed onto his chest, careful to keep him inside her.

"Fuck, Hermione." He gasped, trying to regulate his breathing. "You're fucking amazing."

"So are you." She said truthfully. "The best."

Severus felt his ego swell as she nuzzled her head into his shoulder, kissing it softly, lovingly as her breathing started to finally steady. He reached a hand up and gingerly stroked her messy hair – not something he usually did after fucking someone. Usually, they would lye awkwardly beside each other, trying to remember the other's name. But this was not usual. _She_ was not usual.

When he finally realised she had stopped kissing him, she was already asleep, with him still inside her. For some odd reason, he found himself smiling, a very rare occurrence indeed. He sat carefully, trying not to wake her, and pulled gently out of her. He chuckled slightly as she groaned in annoyance. Summoning their clothes to him, he carried her sleeping form into his chambers and lay her on his bed, before sliding in himself. He felt like he needed to make her comfortable, he could easily have left her in his classroom, but he wanted her to be happy.

Hermione subconsciously pulled Severus towards her, burying her face in his pale chest and sighing when his armed curled around her back. Almost immediately, he too drifted into a peaceful, contented sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Back to present time.

Hermione heard heavy footsteps coming into the kitchen, and tightened her grip on her mouth, refusing to let any sound escape from it.

"I know you're in here!" Severus' voice boomed. "I can smell you!"

She let a small squeak loose from her mouth, despite her hand barricading it. He heard her and detected her position in the cupboard. Moving swiftly over to it, he opened it and pulled her out in one swift movement.

Hermione's heart was beating so fast she could hardly hear anything else, but managed to hear Severus' growl as he looked her over. As soon as his eyes landed on her plump lips, he dived, forcing his way into her mouth and searching it with his tongue. His large hands gripped her bare waist tightly, not wanting to let her go, never wanting to let her go.

She relaxed into him immediately, losing herself in his kiss, relishing the feeling of his hot tongue on hers after all those weeks apart.

Five weeks. She had been gone on official Ministry business. Meaning she was away from him for that long. It was a living Hell. They had not spent more than two or three nights away from each other in the last two and a half years. Ever since that one night in detention. She needed him. He needed her. They needed each other. When he had got home, Severus found a note on the floor in the entranceway of their house. _'I'm home! Come find me...'_ It had read. Even though she hadn't been there, or said the words, he could picture the luscious smirk across her lips.

Before she had a chance to complain, her lover had stripped her of her Slytherin green lacy underwear. Not that she would complain.

As their tongues fought, so did their hands; fighting to get Severus out of his clothes. Hermione's nimble fingers made short work of his black robes and shirt underneath, while his attacked the buckle of his belt, also in black. She assisted him once his top half was bare. Soon, he was as naked as she was. Turning and pushing her against the wall, he entered her without a second thought.

"Fuuuuccckk..." She groaned in pleasure, wrapping her legs around his hips to hold her in place. "I forgot how big you were."

"I shall have to make you remember then." He smirked, pulling out and plunging back into her.

"Oh Gods!" Hermione moaned, pleasure ripping through her.

Severus continued to thrust, pushing her up the wall with each one. He couldn't hold back the groan of appreciation towards her tight, hot, and very, very wet pussy. _Perfect._

"Fuck, you're perfect." He growled.

Hermione smiled and circled her arms around his neck, pulling him in for a kiss. His tongue thrust in time with his cock, making her moan into his mouth. She could feel her climax approaching rapidly, being away from him that long had made him seem even more amazing.

"Merlin, Sev! You're fucking amazing! Oh Gods! Yes! Yes! _Yes!"_ She screamed, her climax tearing through her body, making it shudder.

As her muscles tightened around him, Severus was pulled over the edge, with the help of her cries of delight. He growled as he shot his seed into her, before slumping onto the floor with Hermione on top of him, but no longer inside her.

"You need to find an easier hiding place next time. I almost lost my mind searching." He told her, trying to regulate his breathing.

"But the hunt makes it even more exciting, doesn't it?" She asked him. "It definitely did for me, it was no wonder you could smell me."

"Hmm, I do admit I did like the _chase_, it reminded me of a predator hunting its prey." Severus growled, before attacking her neck and shoulder with playful nips and bites.

Hermione laughed in delight before pulling his mouth up to her lips. They kissed deeply and passionately, never wanting to be apart from each other ever again.

"Next time, you're taking me with you." He declared after reluctantly pulling away to breathe.

"Then people would get suspicions." Hermione smiled ruefully.

"Let them fucking suspect then." He said.

"Sev..." She sighed. "We agreed that no one would accept us. We agreed to keep us a secret."

"I know, Hermione. Sometimes I just want to take you out and rub it in people's faces that I have you and they don't. Especially Weasley." He grimaced slightly at the name.

"Hey! Don't say it like that. He _is_ still one of best friends." Hermione scolded him.

"Yes, but that doesn't change the way he feels about you." Severus complained.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Sev! Ron does _not_ like me like that anymore! And even if he did, I'd still choose you over him. I'd choose you over every other guy in the world!" She told him, smiling.

"Good." And with that, he kissed her again, his tongue exploring her mouth, fighting with hers. "But I still like the idea of showing you off."

"Come on, Sev! You know what people will say!" Hermione sighed.

"But the difference is, I don't really care." He smirked.

"You should!"

"But I don't. You are worth more than people's opinions of me."

She smiled at him. "That's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me."

He sniffed dismissively and turned his nose up in the air. Shaking her head, she kissed him again. She crawled further on top of him, straddling his hips and stopped kissing him, lifting her head up to look at him. She gently picked up his left wrist and licked along the length of his Dark Mark, not completely disappeared yet. He growled in response, and just as she was about to start sucking, there was a loud knock on the door.

"Shit!" Hermione squeaked, rushing to get dressed.

Severus groaned, but followed her lead, pulling on his clothing as well. As she only had her sexy lingerie to wear, she grabbed Severus' black robe and pulled that on too. When they were both presentable, the person at the door was knocking continuously.

"Coming!" She yelled impatiently as she fixed her hair as best she could.

As she neared the door, Severus following behind, she paid no attention to the fact that there were not one, but _three_ shadows on the other side of the door. So, naturally, when she opened the door to reveal the faces of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Ginny Weasley, she screamed.

And when Ginny saw Severus, she screamed too.

Slamming the door as hard as she could, Hermione turned around to face Severus with a purely terrified look on her face.

"Don't you think it's time they found out?" He asked softly, so the three outside wouldn't hear.

"No, I-" She sighed. "Maybe it is. I mean, they've seen you now, what harm could it do?"

She didn't want an answer to that question. She knew full well what damage it would cause, she'd stayed up late on many nights thinking it over.

"Open the door." Severus told her as Harry and Ron got over the shock and began yelling at her.

She nodded and turned back to the door, taking a deep breath before opening it. She was at once bombarded with questions from Harry and Ron, who now stood protectively between her and Severus. Ginny, however, was still standing in the doorway, her mouth gaping and eyes wide. After about a minute of yelling, from Hermione, Ron and Harry, Ginny couldn't take it any more.

"EVERYONE SHUT UP!" She yelled.

Immediately, the entranceway became silent, and all its occupants stared at her. Hermione blinked at her friend, amazed by her outburst.

"Now, why don't we all be civil and talk about this like the adults we are." Ginny said.

"Just because we're all old enough to qualify as adults, doesn't mean we're all mature enough." Severus muttered, shooting Ron and Harry scathing glances.

Ron was about to leap at him, but his younger sister stepped in front of him.

"You're only reinforcing what he just said, Ronald." She sighed, before turning to Hermione. "Living room?"

"Uh, follow me." She said, frowning slightly at her calmness.

Pushing her lover in front of her to avoid unnecessary confrontations, she lead her best friends into her and Severus' living room. Severus sat in the huge armchair and Hermione moved to sit on the couch next to him, but he pulled her on top of him. She gave him a warning look, but didn't make him let go. Ginny pulled Ron and Harry to either side of her on the couch opposite the newly exposed lovers. After several moments of heated staring between the men in the room, Ginny and Hermione decided to break the silence.

"How was your trip, Hermione?" Ginny asked.

"Horrible, long, boring..." Hermione listed.

"How can you be talking about work at a time like this?" Ron yelled, disturbing the somewhat peaceful atmosphere.

"Because, as Severus so blatantly put it, some of us are more mature than others." Ginny replied, giving her brother a look.

"You just walked in to your best friend's home to find _him_ here with her, and you're talking about _work_?" Ron exploded.

"What is so wrong with him?" Hermione asked angrily.

"What's wrong with him? I'll tell you what's wrong with him!" Ron yelled. "He's... he's..."

"Your former professor?" Severus suggested.

"Like that has anything to do with this." Ron growled.

"Former Death Eater?" Severus smirked at him.

Ron stiffened a little, but managed to keep up his harsh glare.

"Hmm. So that wasn't it." Severus placed a thoughtful look on his face. "Perhaps it is that I am the man who Hermione chose over you?"

"Severus!" Hermione gasped, giving him her worst glare, before looking apologetically at Ron.

The youngest Weasley boy felt his throat go dry. Suddenly, he jumped to his feet and was out the door before any of them could even react. Ginny merely rolled her eyes, but Harry stood to follow him. Before he left, however, he gave the couple in the armchair a slight nod and a smile, as if accepting them.

"Why do you always have to ruin everything?" Hermione sighed, looking at Severus in disappointment.

"Hermione-" He began softly, but she cut him off.

"No!" She screamed, tearing his arms away from her and standing menacingly over him. "One of my best friends hates me and it's all your fault!"

"Just listen-"

"I will _not_ listen to _anything_ you have to say! You are sleeping on the couch tonight!" She cut him off again.

"Please-"

"Severus!" She growled warningly.

"I'm so-"

"Don't even bother!" She yelled, tears forming in her eyes as she stormed up the stairs to the bedroom they usually shared. "Arghhhh!" She screamed angrily, slamming the door behind her.

Back in the sitting room, Ginny was sitting uncomfortably with her former Potions Master. Even though she was perfectly accepting of Hermione's relationship with him, she still found him very intimidating.

"Um, would you like me to talk to her?" She asked nervously, avoiding his eyes.

"Miss Weas-" He started.

"Ginny." She corrected, before smiling. "I wont he Miss Weasley for much longer."

Severus frowned, looking her over, he noticed the glittering object attached to her left hand.

"Harry proposed when Hermione was away." Ginny explained, as she fiddled with the gorgeous ring.

"Er, congratulations." He said stiffly.

"Thank you." She smiled, finally looking up to meet his eyes.

Silence fell between them as she stared fiddling with her engagement ring again. But this time it was a comfortable silence.

"If you don't mind me asking, how long have you and Hermione... been together?" Ginny asked boldly.

"Two and a half years."

"But-" She cut herself off with a small gasp as she did the calculations in her head. "When she was still at school? Still your student?"

He nodded, now wishing he hadn't answered. He feared what Hermione would do to him if she lost another friend on his account.

"Merlin." She breathed, blinking a few times. "I'm glad Ron didn't hear that."

"As am I." Severus smirked slightly at the thought of the Weasley boy trying to murder him. "You may go and see her if you wish. I'm sure she'd want to know about your engagement."

"Could I?" She asked. "I'll put in a good word for you, I promise."

"Upstairs, second door on the left." Severus instructed.

"Thanks." Ginny smiled at him, before skipping off to see her best friend.

"GO AWAY SEVERUS!" Hermione yelled as someone knocked on her door.

"It's only me." Came Ginny's slightly frightened voice.

"Oh."

Taking that as an okay to enter, Ginny pushed the door open softly and stepped inside. One look at Hermione and she knew she had been crying hard. Her cheeks and neck were wet and her eyes puffy and red.

"Oh, sweetie." Ginny sighed, pulling her into a hug.

"Did he send you?" She croaked out.

"No. I asked if I could talk to you. He merely pointed me in the right direction."

"Why did you want to talk to me?" Hermione asked, as they sat on her bed.

A huge grin broke out on Ginny's face and she extended her hand slightly. "Harry proposed while you were away."

"You're kidding!" Hermione squealed as she snatched at her friend's hand.

"Isn't it beautiful?" She sighed dreamily.

"Dear Merlin! It's _huge!"_ She exclaimed as her eyes got a full view of the stone.

The ring had one huge diamond in the centre with smaller diamonds dotted along the silver base of it. It was most definitely beautiful.

"It must've cost him a fortune!" Hermione exclaimed, gazing at the ring in wonder.

"I know! He wouldn't even tell me how much!" Ginny squealed.

"I'm so sorry I didn't give you a change to tell me. I was so caught up in my own problems." Hermione sighed, looking guilty.

"Hey, don't worry about it. It was more Ron's fault than yours." Ginny told her friend.

"How do you think he's doing anyway? He got quite upset."

"Severus hit the problem right on the head when he said it was because you chose him over Ron."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked with a frown.

"He's still in love with you, Hermione." Ginny told her. "I don't know how you haven't noticed it already."

"He's what? No. He doesn't." She shook her head. "He can't!"

"But he does, honey. And now he's certain that you don't feel the same way."

"Oh, Merlin." Hermione buried her head in her hands, trying to get away from it all. "What do I do?"

"There's nothing you can do, you can't make everyone happy, Hermione, you know that." Ginny told her.

"But I want him to be happy. I love him, not like he loves me, but I still care for him deeply."

"I know, and so does he. You need to give him time to get over you." Ginny said. "For the last few years after the two of you broke up, you didn't have a boyfriend, or at least not one he knew of. He was sure it was because you still loved him. Over time he realised he still loved you."

Silence fell between them, as she gave Hermione time to adjust to this new information.

"It's not Severus' fault you know. He was just trying to make you realise he still had feeling for you."

"I'm sure he could've found a better way to say it." Hermione said, anger flaring up again.

"He was just being himself."

"That's the problem, Gin, he was being himself and I hated it." Hermione said, tear starting to fall again.

"But you love him, don't you?" Ginny asked.

"I don't know. I think I do, but sometimes he's just so infuriating that I can't."

"Love doesn't come without other things. One time Harry and I had a fight and we didn't talk to each other for a week. But look at us now-" Ginny held up her ring. "-everything is perfect. Maybe not to everyone else, but when you love someone as much as we love each other, imperfections are what makes you perfect."

"Could you go now, Gin? I need some time alone."

"Sure." Ginny hugged her friend, before walking to the door.

"Oh, and tell Severus not to bother trying to talk to me tonight."

"Of course." She smiled. "Bye Hermione."

"Bye."

Ginny left, leaving Hermione alone with her thoughts.


	3. Chapter 3

Severus was pacing.

It was what he did when he was worried or tense. He was worried about Hermione and when she would start talking to him again. He very nearly went to eavesdrop on her conversation with Ginny, but decided against it. If he were caught he'd be in an even worse situation with her, and he didn't want that.

Before the young Weasley left, however, she outlined her conversation with Hermione to him, telling him she now knew Ron had feelings for her. And that she wanted to be left alone.

Severus respected her wishes, keeping out of her hair until it became unbearable. He needed her, and not just for her body. He needed her company, someone intellectual to converse with. He couldn't begin to imagine what he'd do without her. He couldn't lose her, especially after he'd just gotten her back.

Not wanting to see her and make things worse, he left a note on the kitchen table saying he was giving her time to think, and would be at the cottage they had been earlier that on their two year anniversary. He'd be back in a few days, unless she contacted him.

And then he was gone.

Hermione woke up freezing. There was no warm body next to hers to keep her warm. No one to hold her tight and reassure her of everything she needed reassuring of. All in all, she missed Severus. She crawled out of bed, deciding the couch would not be a comfortable place for him to sleep, and tip-toed down the stairs barefoot. But, when she reached the living room, the couch was empty.

"Severus?" Hermione called out cautiously, walking around into the kitchen. "Where are y-"

She stopped mid-sentence as she spotted a crisp white piece of paper on the table. She picked it up nervously and read the note in Severus' perfect hand.

_'Hermione,_

_I thought I should give you time to think. I'll be at the cottage if you, or anyone else needs me._

_Severus.'_

Hermione's mood dropped even more. She knew that he'd left for her benefit, but that didn't make her stop missing him. She looked at the clock and realised it was nearly six am, and there was no point going back to bed. Once the kettle was boiling for her morning cup of tea, she sat at the table and considered telling Severus to come back, but she decided against it. She was interested to know how long he would stay away.

She showered and dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt as it was Saturday and she didn't need to go into the office. She was enjoying Harper Lee's work, _To Kill a Mockingbird_ when the distinct pop of apparition sounded from somewhere in the house. Hermione frowned, surely Severus wasn't back already, but who else would apparate to her house at – she checked her watch – quarter past seven in the morning?

"Hermione!" Ginny's worried voice answered her silent question.

"Here!" She called back.

Hermione stood from her seat on the couch in time to see her friend rush into the room wearing pajamas and a dressing gown, looking flustered.

"Ginny, what happened?" Hermione was at her side in no time.

"It's Ron, he's gone insane! He's finally lost it!" She gasped. "He's on his way, I was afraid he'd get here before me, but he must be too angry to think about apparating."

"Why is he coming here?" Hermione asked in confusion.

"I don't know! Probably to yell at you about Severus or something. I tried to stop him, Harry and I both tried, but he wouldn't listen to us!"  
"Calm down, Gin. It's okay, he can yell as much as he needs to."

"But what if he hurts you! Or Severus..." She frowns a little and looks around the room, as if expecting him to jump up out of nowhere.

"He's not here." Hermione informed her friend.

"Where is he?"

"He left, he said it was to give me some space. Time to think."

"Just be careful with him, okay? He's probably still in shock from seeing you with him." Ginny said.

"Okay. I'll try to calm him down, but I can't promise anything. You know how my temper gets."

They were interrupted by a loud banging on the front door.

"You should go." Hermione said hurriedly.

"I'm not leaving you when he's like this. I'll be upstairs if you need me. Just yell." Ginny told Hermione before rushing up the stairs.

The banging on the door increased and Hermione ran to answer it.

"Ron! Hi, come in. You want a drink? Tea? Coffee?" She asked, before he can get a word in.

"Why, Hermione? What does he have that I don't?" Ron demanded.

"He cares about me, more deeply than he would a friend." Hermione answered.

"So do I, Hermione! I love you!" He yells.

"And I loved you. But you broke my heart, Ron. That's something that you could never fix, you didn't even try."

"I know you still love me! You loved me for years!"

"Exactly, Ron. Years. Years I waited for you to realise I was in love with you! Then you finally did and my life was perfect, and then you went and ruined it! You tore my heart out of my chest and stomped on it! That's what it felt like!" Hermione told him, beginning to sob. "And I gave up waiting, gave up hope that you'd ever love me again. You acting perfectly normal, like nothing had ever happened, so why couldn't I? I told myself to act normally, _forced_ myself to act normally."

"You did your waiting, and now I've done mine. You love me! I know you do! Why won't you just admit it, Hermione?"

"I don't love you!" Hermione yelled at him. "I'm sorry, Ron, but I don't."

"You do! You love me, and I love you!" He shouted.

Before Hermione had the chance to reply, his lips were on hers, kissing her ferociously. It took all her strength, but she managed to push him off.

"Ron! I don't love you and I never will! I've moved on and you need to too!" She yelled. "I've found that one person that I want to spend the rest of my life with, and it's not you! It was never you and never will be! I'm not going to let you ruin my life again!"

Hermione's cheeks were wet with hot tears of anger. At that point, she only wanted Severus. It was then she realised she loved him. Not like how she had loved Ron, but a deeper love. One the a person only experiences once in their lives. She was in love with him.

As soon as she heard their voices drifted up the stairs, Ginny apparated into the kitchen and found Severus' note. She read it over, but had no idea where 'the cottage' was. She knew she needed to get help, this fight was not going to end nicely. She racked her brains, trying to think of any place he would go, or anyone who could help her, but before yesterday she hadn't seen or talked to him since school.

Then Ginny remembered the address Hermione gave her when she went away for a week several months ago so she could be owled if necessary. Apparating home immediately, she quizzed Harry about where the address would be. Less than a minute later, Ginny had the piece of note paper and was gone before Harry could ask her what all the commotion was about.

"Severus? Are you here? It's Ginny. I need your help!" She called out from the living room.

She didn't care that she was in her pajamas and about to face her former Potions Master, she just needed someone to help her.

"Severus! Where the bloody hell are you!" She shouted, getting annoyed.

"I'm right here." Came the silky voice from behind her. "No need to yell."

"Oh, thank Merlin!" Ginny exclaimed, spinning around to face him. "We need to get back to Hermione, now!"

"Why? What's wrong with her?" He asked worriedly.

"Well, Ron's there." She answered simply. "He's trying to convince her she's still in love with him as we speak."

With the explanation taken care of, Severus took hold of her arm and apparated them back to his and Hermione's house.


	4. Chapter 4

They popped into the kitchen and hurried to the entranceway where Ginny assumed they still were to find their lips joint. For a moment, Ginny thought she had just ruined her best friend's relationship, but then the best friend in question pushed Ron away.

"Ron! I don't love you and I never will! I've moved on and you need to too!" Hermione yelled. "I've found that one person that I want to spend the rest of my life with, and it's not you! It was never you and never will be! I'm not going to let you ruin my life again!"

She was crying by this point, facing away from Severus and Ginny and so couldn't see them, but Ron, on the other hand, had noticed their arrival. He was silent, looking desperately between the pair in the shadows and the woman he loved, not knowing what to do.

Hermione frowned when Ron didn't reply, but when she noticed him looking behind her, she turned to look also. The moment her eyes came to rest on Severus, she leapt into his arms and held onto him with all her strength, only pulling away slightly to kiss him soundly on the lips.

Severus took her in his arms happily, sucking lightly on her bottom lip as they kissed. He was exceedingly glad Hermione wasn't angry with him anymore, in fact, their current situation would suggest the opposite. He exhaled happily as she pulled away from his lips, but kept her face close to his with her eyes closed. Her hot breaths washed over his face, making him shiver slightly. This caused Hermione to open her eyes to plant a delicate kiss on the tip of his nose.

A distinctly fake cough pulled them away from each other to look at the two youngest Weasley children. The younger smiling happily, while the elder shooting an enraged look at the pair.

"I'm sorry, Ron." Hermione broke the silence. "But I love him."

Severus visibly stiffened as she said this. He knew she had feelings for him – strong ones at that – but he didn't think she loved him. He was afraid this would happen, but being truly honest, the same thing had happened to him. He didn't think he _could_ fall in love, no less would voluntarily do so, but the beautiful, intelligent witch that had just proclaimed her love for him had proved him wrong. He had, in fact, over the past two and a half years, fallen in love with her too.

"Love? How the bloody hell can you love Snape?" Ron yelled. "How can you feel anything for him other than hate?"

"Easily. Very easily." Hermione answered. "Now, if you're going to continue being difficult, you can leave our house."

"No, I will not leave while you're still under some kind of spell! This is Snape were talking about! _Snape!_ You may love him, but he's not even capable of loving anything!"

"That's a lie!" Hermione shouted, knowing that he may not love her, but he was capable.

"Prove it." Ron sneered. "Come on, Snape, tell her you love her."

Hermione heard him gulp loudly and turned back to him, softly stroking his cheek.

"It's okay, Sev. You don't have to." Hermione whispered. "You know I don't expect you to love me."

He stared into her eyes and saw her happiness, he saw how contented she was with him. He could see that she didn't care whether he loved her or not. But he did. He just didn't think he could actually say it, and in front of two Weasleys? The entire Wizarding World would know within the hour.

"Ha! He can't do it, you know why, Hermione? You want to know why?" Ron taunted. "'Cause he doesn't bloody love you! He will _never_ love you!"

But Hermione wasn't listening, she was focussed entirely on Severus. She could see the battle taking place behind his eyes, although she didn't know what it was about.

"Sev?" She whispered.

"I know you don't expect it of me." He told her, slightly short of breath. "But... I _do_ love you."

Hermione's heart literally stopped beating for a few seconds, she had never expected him to love her, not in a million years, but here he was, admitting it in front of Ginny and Ron. He pulled her into his arms when the tears finally fell, holding her as close as possible to his heart.

"I love you too." She sobbed, her hands fisting in his hair, never intending on letting go.

Meanwhile, Ginny and Ron were staring at them in shock, Ginny's was happy shock, Ron's, however, was not.

"Looks like your plan backfired." Ginny said, placing a hand on her brother's shoulder. "We should go."

"I- but- he-" Ron was blubbering, still staring at them.

"Now, Ronald. We're leaving." Ginny grabbed his arm and pulled him to the door. "Bye Hermione!"

When she didn't receive an answer, she glanced back and smiled. Ginny realised it was impossible for her to get an answer, as Severus' lips would muffle any answer Hermione gave.

Severus and Hermione were automatically aware they were alone.

"I never thought you would." Hermione breathed. "But I always had hope."

"To be honest, I never thought I would either." He told her. "But I do, I love you, Hermione."

"And I will never get sick of you saying that." She leaned in to kiss him again.

Well, that's the end, I hope everyone liked it =]


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